Refrigerator

ABSTRACT

A refrigerator which includes a main body in which a freezing compartment is formed, an evaporator provided in the main body to generate cool air, an ice making tray provided in the freezing compartment, to make ice, a cool air duct including a lower cool air discharge port to discharge the cool air generated in the evaporator toward a lower side of the ice making tray, and a cool air guide to support the ice making tray and to prevent the cool air supplied through the cool air duct from being discharged directly to an upper side of the ice making tray.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from Korean Patent Application No. 2005-0097763, filed on Oct. 17, 2005, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a refrigerator. More particularly, to a refrigerator having an improved cool air discharge structure.

2. Description of the Related Art

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional refrigerator includes a main body 1 having storage compartments 2 and 3 (i.e., refrigerating and freezing compartments, respectively), and a refrigerating unit to cool the storage compartments 2 and 3.

An inner space of the main body 1 of the refrigerator is vertically partitioned into the freezing compartment 3 and the refrigerating compartment 2. A refrigerating compartment door 4 and a freezing compartment door 5 are provided at front sides of the refrigerating compartment 2 and the freezing compartment 3 to open/close the compartments 2 and 3, respectively. A plurality of door guides 7 are disposed vertically at an inner side of each of the doors 4 and 5 for receiving bottles and the like. Here, shelves 6 partitioning an inner space of the refrigerating compartment 2 are disposed vertically at an upper side of the refrigerating compartment 2 provided at a right side of the main body 1 of the refrigerator, and a plurality of drawers 8 are provided at a lower side of the refrigerating compartment.

An ice making compartment includes an ice maker 120 for making ice at an upper side of the freezing compartment 3, shelves 6 and drawers 8 are disposed vertically at a lower side of the freezing compartment 3. A dispenser unit (not shown) is provided at a front surface of the freezing compartment door 5, ice made in the ice making compartment and water supplied from an exterior water supply (not shown) can be discharged through the dispenser unit.

An ice making tray 110 is installed in the ice maker 120, and water is supplied from an external water supplying device to the ice making tray for making ice.

However, the conventional refrigerator has a problem in that a flow direction of cool air entered in the ice making tray 110 is not regulated constantly, and thus the ice quality is deteriorated. That is, when cool air discharged from a cool air duct 150 disposed at a rear wall of the freezing compartment 3 is directed to the ice making tray 110, some of the cool air is contacted directly with a lower side of the ice making tray 110 in which supplied water is received, and the rest of cool air is flown to an upper side of the ice making tray 110 and then contacted with water received in the ice making tray. Accordingly, ice crystals are grown on a surface of the ice making tray 110 and a surface of frozen water in various directions. Thus the conventional refrigerator has a problem that ice is not transparent and ice is likely to be easily broken by a small impact.

Also, since the ice making tray 110 is disposed in the direction as shown in FIG. 2, the ice making rate is varied according to the distance between the ice making tray 110 and a discharge port 151 so that the entire ice making rate in the freezing compartment becomes lowered. In addition, in the case that ice is discharged before the ice is completely frozen, hollow ice is fallen into an ice storage section and broken, and broken ice pieces are then lumped with one lump of ice in the ice storage section.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an aspect of the present invention to provide a refrigerator which enables cool air to be directed to an ice making tray in a constant direction, to thereby obtain ice having a uniform organization.

Also, it is another aspect of the present invention to provide a refrigerator which has a structure for increasing an area of an ice making tray with which cool air discharged from a cool air duct is contacted, to enhance the ice making rate and to smoothly circulate cool air in a freezing compartment of the refrigerator.

Additional aspects and/or advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.

The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present invention are achieved by providing a refrigerator including a main body in which a freezing compartment is formed, an evaporator provided in the main body to generate cool air, an ice making tray provided in the freezing compartment, to make ice, a cool air duct including a lower cool air discharge port to discharge the cool air generated in the evaporator toward a lower side of the ice making tray, and a cool air guide to support the ice making tray and to prevent the cool air supplied through the cool air duct from being discharged directly to an upper side of the ice making tray.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the cool air guide includes a support frame to support the ice making tray; and a cool air blocking member provided between the ice making tray and the support frame to prevent the cool air supplied through the cool air duct from being discharged directly to an upper side of the ice making tray.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the ice making tray is disposed transversely in the freezing compartment.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the lower cool air discharge port is formed along a lengthwise direction of the ice making tray.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the support frame includes a pair of side frames supporting opposite end parts of the ice making tray, respectively, and an upper frame provided at an upper side of the ice making tray connecting the pair of side frames.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the cool air duct further includes an upper cool air discharge port to supply the cool air to an upper part of the freezing compartment at a position corresponding to the upper frame, and the upper frame comprises a cool air flow passage to guide the cool air discharged from the upper cool air discharge port to a front side of the freezing compartment.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the refrigerator further includes a flow passage cover having the shape corresponding to a shape of the cool air flow passage and being received in the cool air flow passage so that the cool air passed through the cool air flow passage is not contacted directly with the upper frame.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the flow passage cover includes an insulating material.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the flow passage cover includes an upper cover and a lower cover which are detachably coupled with each other.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the cool air blocking member is formed integrally with and extended from the support frame.

The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present invention are achieved by providing a refrigerator including a main body in which a storage compartment is formed, an evaporator provided in the main body to generate cool air, an ice making tray provided in the storage compartment, to make ice, a cool air duct including a lower cool air discharge port to discharge the cool air generated in the evaporator toward a lower side of the ice making tray, and a cool air guide to support the ice making tray and to prevent the cool air supplied through the cool air duct from being discharged directly to an upper side of the ice making tray.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the cool air guide includes a support frame to support the ice making tray; and a cool air blocking member provided between the ice making tray and the support frame to prevent the cool air supplied through the cool air duct from being discharged directly to an upper side of the ice making tray.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the ice making tray is disposed transversely in the storage compartment.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the lower cool air discharge port is formed along a lengthwise direction of the ice making tray.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the support frame includes a pair of side frames supporting opposite end parts of the ice making tray, respectively, and an upper frame provided at an upper side of the ice making tray connecting the pair of side frames.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the cool air duct further includes an upper cool air discharge port to supply the cool air to an upper part of the storage compartment at a position corresponding to the upper frame, and the upper frame comprises a cool air flow passage to guide the cool air discharged from the upper cool air discharge port to a front side of the storage compartment.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the refrigerator further includes a flow passage cover having the shape corresponding to a shape of the cool air flow passage and being received in the cool air flow passage so that the cool air passed through the cool air flow passage is not contacted directly with the upper frame.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the flow passage cover includes an insulating material.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the flow passage cover includes an upper cover and a lower cover which are detachably coupled with each other.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the cool air blocking member is formed integrally with and extended from the support frame.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and/or other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompany drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a conventional refrigerator in a state in which doors of the refrigerator are opened;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a mounting structure of an ice making tray in a conventional refrigerator as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating main elements of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a cool air flow passage of the refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the main elements of the refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. The embodiments are described below so as to explain the present invention by referring to the figures.

Also, although a side-by-side type refrigerator is used as an example in this specification, the present invention is not limited any particular type of refrigerator, and may vary accordingly.

The refrigerator shown in FIG. 1 will now be used to discuss embodiments of the present invention. Therefore, like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator, as shown in FIGS. 3-5, comprises an ice making tray 10 provided in the freezing compartment 3, a cool air duct 50 to discharge cool air generated in the evaporator toward the ice making tray 10; and a cool air guide to support the ice making tray 10 and to prevent the cool air supplied through the cool air duct 50 from being discharged directly to an upper side of the ice making tray 10.

As shown in FIG. 4, in the present invention, the ice making tray 10 is provided in the freezing compartment 3, and the water supplied from an exterior water supply (not shown) is received in the ice making tray 10 to make ice. An ice storage reservoir (not shown) is provided at a lower side of the ice making tray 10 for storing ice made in the ice making tray 10. An ice separating motor (not shown) is installed at one side of the ice making tray 10 to separate ice from the ice making tray 10, and an ice-checking lever 11 is attached to a lower side of the ice making tray 10 as shown in FIG. 5 to measure the amount of ice stored in the ice storage reservoir.

In the present invention, the shape of ice made in the ice making tray 10 varies according to the shape of the ice making tray 10. For example, ice having a semi-circular shape in section can be made, and ice cubes having an approximately cubic shape can be made. Further, in an embodiment of the present invention, the ice making tray 10 is installed in a transverse direction from a front side view of the freezing compartment 3. Although the ice making tray 10 can be provided at any location of the freezing compartment 3, it is desirable to provide the ice making tray 10 at an upper region of the freezing compartment 3. The ice making tray 10 is mounted to a support frame 30 (to be described below).

The cool air duct 50 comprises a cool air suction part (not shown) and cool air discharge ports 51. The cool air duct 50 forms a cool air flow passage to supply cool air generated in the evaporator (not shown) installed at a rear region of the freezing compartment 3 to an inside of the freezing compartment 3. The cool air suction part (not shown) is provided on the cool air duct 50 to suction air existed in the freezing compartment 3 and supplying it to the evaporator (not shown). The cool air discharge ports 51 are provided on the cool air duct 50 so that air suctioned is contacted with a surface of the evaporator (not shown) to be cooled, and then cool air is discharged to an inside of the freezing compartment 3 by a ventilating fan (not shown).

The cool air discharge ports 51 are provided in the freezing compartment 3 in the vertical direction, and each cool air discharge port is disposed in each space of the freezing compartment partitioned by the shelves 6, for example. The cool air duct 50 comprises a lower cool air discharge port 55.

The lower cool air discharge port 55 is provided at a location corresponding to a lower side region of the ice making tray 10, to discharge cool air generated in the evaporator to the lower side region of the ice making tray 10. The lower cool air discharge port 55 can be elongated in a transverse direction to have a length which is similar to that of the ice making tray 10. In order to cool the lower side region of the ice making tray 10 at a near distance, the lower cool air discharge port 55 can be protruded forward from the cool air duct 50. Accordingly, the lower side region of the ice making tray 10 can be cooled by cool air discharged from the lower cool air discharge port 55.

As shown in FIG. 3, the refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention further comprises an upper cool air discharge port 53. The upper cool air discharge port 53 is provided to discharge cool air generated in the evaporator to an upper region of the freezing compartment 3 along a cool air flow passage 40 (to be described below) provided at an upper side of the ice making tray 10, without contacting with the ice making tray 10. The upper cool air discharge port 53 is provided at a location corresponding to the cool air flow passage 40.

The cool air guide comprises a cool air blocking member 20 and the support frame 30. The cool air blocking member 20 as shown in FIG. 4, prevents cool air supplied through the cool air duct 50 from being discharged directly to the upper side of the ice making tray 10. In the present invention, the cool air blocking member 20 may have various structures. For example, the cool air blocking member 20 may be formed integrally with the support frame 30, or protruded from an inner wall of the freezing compartment 3. Alternatively, the cool air blocking member 20 may comprise the support frame 30 which supports the ice making tray 10.

The support frame 30 is provided in the freezing compartment 3 to support opposite ends of the ice making tray 10. In one aspect of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 3, for example, the support frame 30 comprises a pair of side frames 33 supporting the opposite ends of the ice making tray 10, respectively, and an upper frame 31 provided at an upper side of the ice making tray 10 for connecting the pair of side frames 33.

The pair of side frames 33 are disposed at an upper side of the freezing compartment 3 and face each other at a predetermined distance apart. The predetermined distance between the pair of side frames 33 may correspond to the length of the ice making tray 10.

The upper frame 31 connects upper parts of the side frames 33. The cool air flow passage 40 (to be described below) is formed at a region of the upper frame 31. The upper frame 31 is provided at a location corresponding to the upper cool air discharge port 53.

When the cool air blocking member 20 is formed integrally with the support member 30, the cool air blocking member 20 is extended downward from the upper frame 31 as shown in FIG. 4, for example, to prevent cool air discharged from the cool air discharge ports 51, 53 and 55 from being directed to an upper side of the ice making tray 10. The cool air blocking member 20 is extended from a lower side of the cool air flow passage 40 to a location corresponding to the lower cool air discharge port 55. Also, in an embodiment of the present invention, the length of the cool air blocking member 20 corresponds to the distance between the pair of side frames 33.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the cool air flow passage 40 forms a cool air flow passage ‘A’ provided for inhibiting cool air discharged from the upper cool air discharge port 53 from being directed to an upper side region of the ice making tray 10 and guiding this cool air to a front side region of the freezing compartment 3. The cool air flow passage 40 is formed at the upper frame 31, and is provided at a location facing the upper cool air discharge port 53. In the present invention, the cool air flow passage 40 can be formed in various shapes. For example, the cool air flow passage 40 can be formed in a linear shape so as to make cool air discharged from the upper cool air discharge port 53 flow to an upper side of the freezing compartment 3, and can be formed in a curved shape to the extent that discharged cool air does not form a whirlpool.

The refrigerator according to the present invention further comprises a flow passage cover 41 having a shape corresponding to the shape of the cool air flow passage 40 and received in the cool air flow passage 40 such that cool air passed through the cool air flow passage 40 is not contacted directly with the upper frame 31.

In the present invention, the flow passage cover 41 can be formed in various shapes. For example, the flow passage cover 41 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a through passage formed at a central portion thereof and acting as a flow passage of cool air. Also, as shown in FIG. 3, the flow passage cover 41 comprises an upper cover 42 and a lower cover 43 which are detachably coupled with each other.

Here, the upper cover 42 and the lower cover 43 are made of an insulating material. In the case that cool air discharged from the upper cool air discharge port 53 is directly contacted with the upper frame 31 which is made by injection molding, as compared with an upper side of the ice making tray 10 with which cool air is not contacted directly, a temperature at the contact portion at which cool air is contacted becomes lower significantly. Thus, ice can be formed at the upper frame 31 by water in the ice making tray 10. Accordingly, if the upper cover 42 and the lower cover 43 are made of the insulating material, it is possible to prevent the freezing phenomenon on the surface of the upper frame 31.

Meanwhile, although the freezing compartment 3 is explained as an example in this specification, the present invention may be employed to the refrigerating compartment 2. In this case, a separate ice making compartment may be provided in the refrigerating compartment 2.

As shown in FIG. 4, cool air discharged from the upper cool air discharge port 53 is not directed to an upper side of the ice making tray 10, but is directed to a front upper region of the freezing compartment 3 along the cool air flow passage 40 as indicated by the arrow A, and a lower side region of the ice making tray 10 can be cooled concentratedly by cool air discharged from the lower cool air discharge port 55 as indicated by an arrow B.

By providing the lower cool air discharge port 55 for concentrating cool air to a lower side of the ice making tray 10 and providing the cool air blocking member 20 for blocking cool air to be directed to an upper side of the ice making tray 10, the refrigerator according to the present invention makes cool air flow to the ice making tray 10 in the constant direction and ice crystals begin to grow from a lower side of the ice making tray 10, and accordingly the refrigerator can make transparent ice having an enhanced quality and a non-fragile uniform organization.

Also, by disposing transversely the ice making tray 10, an area of the ice making tray with which cool air discharged from the lower cool air discharge port 55 is contacted is increased so that the ice making rate can be enhanced.

In addition, by means of the two-steps structure having the lower cool air discharge port 55 and the upper cool air discharge port 53, the refrigerator according to the present invention can enhance the ice making rate, improve the ice quality and circulate smoothly cool air in the freezing compartment 3.

As described above, the refrigerator according to the present invention makes cool air flow to the ice making tray in the constant direction so that ice having the uniform organization and improved quality can be provided.

Also, by increasing an area of the ice making tray with which discharged cool air is contacted, the ice making rate is enhanced and it is possible to circulate smoothly cool air in the freezing compartment through the two-steps cool air discharge structure.

Although a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents. 

1. A refrigerator comprising: a main body in which a freezing compartment is formed; an evaporator provided in the main body to generate cool air; an ice making tray provided in the freezing compartment, to make ice; a cool air duct including a lower cool air discharge port to discharge the cool air generated in the evaporator toward a lower side of the ice making tray; and a cool air guide to support the ice making tray and to prevent the cool air supplied through the cool air duct from being discharged directly to an upper side of the ice making tray.
 2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the cool air guide comprises: a support frame to support the ice making tray; and a cool air blocking member provided between the ice making tray and the support frame to prevent the cool air supplied through the cool air duct from being discharged directly to an upper side of the ice making tray.
 3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the ice making tray is disposed transversely in the freezing compartment.
 4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the lower cool air discharge port is formed along a lengthwise direction of the ice making tray.
 5. The refrigerator according to claim 4, wherein the support frame comprises: a pair of side frames supporting opposite end parts of the ice making tray, respectively; and an upper frame provided at an upper side of the ice making tray connecting the pair of side frames.
 6. The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein the cool air duct further comprises: an upper cool air discharge port to supply the cool air to an upper part of the freezing compartment at a position corresponding to the upper frame; and the upper frame comprises a cool air flow passage to guide the cool air discharged from the upper cool air discharge port to a front side of the freezing compartment.
 7. The refrigerator according to claim 6, further comprising a flow passage cover having the shape corresponding to a shape of the cool air flow passage and being received in the cool air flow passage so that the cool air passed through the cool air flow passage is not contacted directly with the upper frame.
 8. The refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein the flow passage cover comprises an insulating material.
 9. The refrigerator according to claim 8, wherein the flow passage cover comprises an upper cover and a lower cover which are detachably coupled with each other.
 10. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the cool air blocking member is formed integrally with and extended from the support frame.
 11. A refrigerator comprising: a main body in which a storage compartment is formed; an evaporator provided in the main body to generate cool air; an ice making tray provided in the storage compartment, to make ice; a cool air duct including a lower cool air discharge port to discharge the cool air generated in the evaporator toward a lower side of the ice making tray; and a cool air guide to support the ice making tray and to prevent the cool air supplied through the cool air duct from being discharged directly to an upper side of the ice making tray.
 12. The refrigerator according to claim 11, wherein the cool air guide comprises: a support frame to support the ice making tray; and a cool air blocking member provided between the ice making tray and the support frame to prevent the cool air supplied through the cool air duct from being discharged directly to an upper side of the ice making tray.
 13. The refrigerator according to claim 12, wherein the ice making tray is disposed transversely in the storage compartment.
 14. The refrigerator according to claim 13, wherein the lower cool air discharge port is formed along a lengthwise direction of the ice making tray.
 15. The refrigerator according to claim 14, wherein the support frame comprises: a pair of side frames supporting opposite end parts of the ice making tray, respectively; and an upper frame provided at an upper side of the ice making tray connecting the pair of side frames.
 16. The refrigerator according to claim 15, wherein the cool air duct further comprises: an upper cool air discharge port to supply the cool air to an upper part of the storage compartment at a position corresponding to the upper frame; and the upper frame comprises a cool air flow passage to guide the cool air discharged from the upper cool air discharge port to a front side of the storage compartment.
 17. The refrigerator according to claim 16, further comprising a flow passage cover having a shape corresponding to a shape of the cool air flow passage and being received in the cool air flow passage so that the cool air passed through the cool air flow passage is not contacted directly with the upper frame.
 18. The refrigerator according to claim 17, wherein the flow passage cover comprises an insulating material.
 19. The refrigerator according to claim 18, wherein the flow passage cover comprises an upper cover and a lower cover which are detachably coupled with each other.
 20. The refrigerator according to claim 12, wherein the cool air blocking member is formed integrally with and extended from the support frame. 